Service device for a refrigerator, and refrigerator featuring such a device

ABSTRACT

A service device for a refrigerator having a refrigerating chamber, the device having an electric circuit portion and a mechanical portion. The electric circuit portion is connectable to the refrigerator outside the refrigerating chamber, and the mechanical portion is at least partly insertable inside the refrigerating chamber and cooperates with the electric circuit portion.

[0001] The present invention relates to a service device for arefrigerator, and to a refrigerator featuring such a device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] As is known, refrigerators feature various electric andelectronic devices, some with control and others with user-aidfunctions.

[0003] For example, the temperature inside the refrigerating chamber isregulated by a thermostat controlling a cooling circuit, and whichnormally comprises a manual selector for setting a desired temperature,a sensor for detecting the temperature inside the refrigeration chamber,and a control circuit for alternately turning the cooling circuit on andoff to keep the sensor-detected temperature at around the desired settemperature. The sensor and control circuit are normally housed inside acasing fixed inside the refrigerating chamber, while the manual selectorprojects partly from the casing to enable it to be regulated.

[0004] Refrigerators normally also comprise an internal lighting system,which is turned on when the refrigerating chamber is opened to assistthe user when replacing or removing food or other material; and a lamp,e.g. a neon tube, is fitted to the ceiling or a wall of therefrigerating chamber, and is preferably guarded by a transparent shieldto prevent contact with the material stored in the refrigerator.

[0005] Known refrigerators have several drawbacks, owing to thethermostat and the light source being fitted inside the refrigeratingchamber. Firstly, the thermostat and light source operate in anunfavourable environment particularly exposed to humidity which, giventhe low temperature involved, condenses readily on the walls of therefrigerating chamber. The electronic control circuits of thethermostat, in particular, are easily damaged if not adequatelyprotected.

[0006] Secondly, to perform even the simplest maintenance jobs, such aschanging the lamp, the refrigerating chamber must be kept open for atleast a few minutes, so that the temperature inside rises tosubstantially room temperature and takes a fairly long time to return tothe set temperature once the job is completed. During which time, thematerial stored in the refrigerating chamber may deteriorate partly orentirely, and power consumption by the refrigerator is greatlyincreased.

[0007] Thirdly, the thermostat and internal lighting system occupy spacewhich reduces the overall capacity of the refrigerating chamber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a servicedevice for a refrigerator, and a refrigerator, designed to eliminate theaforementioned drawbacks, and which at the same time are cheap and easyto produce.

[0009] According to the present invention, there is provided a servicedevice for a refrigerator having a refrigerating chamber, said devicecomprising an electric circuit portion and a mechanical portion;characterized in that said electric circuit portion is connectable tothe refrigerator outside said refrigerating chamber, and said mechanicalportion is at least partly insertable inside said refrigerating chamberand cooperates with said electric circuit portion.

[0010] According to the present invention, there is also provided arefrigerator comprising a refrigerating chamber housed inside a body; acooling circuit for cooling said refrigerating chamber; a thermostatconnected to said cooling circuit to regulate a temperature inside saidrefrigerating chamber, and having an electronic control circuit; andlighting means having a light source for lighting the inside of saidrefrigerating chamber; characterized in that at least one of saidelectronic control circuit and said light source is housed outside saidrefrigerating chaser.

[0011] The thermostat and the light source thus operate in a morefavourable environment and, above all, are less exposed to humidity thanin conventional refrigerators.

[0012] Moreover, the thermostat and the light source are accessible fromoutside the refrigerating chamber, which can therefore be kept closed,and the temperature inside the refrigerating chamber kept substantiallyconstant, when performing maintenance work.

[0013] The capacity of the refrigerating chamber is also advantageouslyincreased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] A non-limiting embodiment of the invention will be described byway of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0015]FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal lateral section of a refrigeratorincorporating a service device in accordance with the present invention,and shown in a first operating configuration;

[0016]FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal lateral section of the FIG. 1refrigerator in a second operating configuration;

[0017]FIG. 3 shows an enlarged view of a detail of the FIG. 1refrigerator;

[0018]FIG. 4 shows a top plan cross section of the FIG. 1 refrigerator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019]FIGS. 1 and 2 show, schematically, a refrigerator in accordancewith the present invention and indicated as a whole by 1. Refrigerator 1comprises a refrigerating chamber 2; a cooling circuit 3 (shown onlypartly for the sake of simplicity) for cooling refrigerating chamber 2;and at least one service device in accordance with the invention In theembodiment described, refrigerator 1 comprises a thermostat 5 and aninternal lighting system 6.

[0020] Refrigerating chamber 2 is housed inside a body 7 and closed atthe front by a door 8 shown closed in FIG. 1 and open in FIG. 2; and agap 10, filled with thermally insulating material, e.g. polymer foam, isdefined between refrigerating chamber 2 and body 7.

[0021] Cooling circuit 3—shown only partly for the sake ofsimplicity—for cooling refrigerating chamber 2 comprises at least acompressor 11 housed in a rear recess 12 of body 7, and a conduit 13connected to compressor 11.

[0022] A control box 15, housing electric circuit components ofthermostat 5 and of lighting system 6, as explained in detail later on,is fitted to compressor 11 inside rear recess 12.

[0023] Thermostat 5 is connected to cooling circuit 3 to regulate inknown manner the temperature inside refrigerating chamber 2, andcomprises an electronic control circuit 17; and a mechanical portion inturn comprising a manual regulating device 18 and a flexible controlcable 19, and cooperating with electronic control circuit 17. Thermostat5 also comprises a known temperature sensor (not shown) housed insiderefrigerating chamber 2 and connected to electronic control circuit 17.

[0024] Electronic control circuit 17 is housed inside control box 15,and comprises a known electromechanical selector 20 for selecting areference value of an electric quantity and so setting a desiredtemperature inside refrigerating chamber 2. For example,electromechanical selector 20 comprises an angular potentiometer asshown in FIG. 2.

[0025] Manual regulating device 18 is located inside refrigeratingchamber 2, preferably on a lateral wall 2 a of refrigerating chamber 2,and is connected to electromechanical selector 20 by flexible controlcable 19, which extends mainly inside gap 10, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and4. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, flexible control cable 19is a Bowden cable, so that electromechanical selector 20 can beremote-operated using manual regulating device 18.

[0026] Internal lighting system 6 comprises an electric light source 22,e.g. an incandescent lamp or neon tube, housed inside control box 15; aswitch 23; and a mechanical portion comprising a light guide 25. Morespecifically, light guide 25—preferably an optical-fiber cable—extendsmainly inside gap 10, and has a first end 25 a connected to light source22, and a second end 25 b facing inwards of refrigerating chamber 2 andinserted through a boss 26 substantially flush with the ceiling 2 b ofrefrigerating chamber 2. That is, light guide 25 conveys at least partlyinside refrigerating chamber 2 a light beam emitted by light source 22when activated.

[0027] Switch 23 is fitted to the front of body 7, outside refrigeratingchamber 2, is connected to light source 22 by a cable 27, a connector28, and connecting tracks not shown, and is a normally-closed type witha control button 30. More specifically, switch 23 has an open firstconfiguration in which control button 30 is released, and a closedsecond configuration in which control button 30 is withdrawn. Door 8 hasa pressure portion 8 a which cooperates with switch 23 to alternatelyturn light source 22 on and off. That is, when door 8 is closed (FIG.1), pressure portion 8 a presses control button 30 to open switch 23 andturn off light source 22. Conversely, when door 8 is opened (FIG. 2),control button 30 is released to close switch 23 and so turn lightsource 22 on.

[0028] Clearly, changes may be made to the device as described hereinwithout, however, departing from the scope of the present invention.

1) A service device for a refrigerator (1) having a refrigeratingchamber (2), said device comprising an electric circuit portion (17, 22)and a mechanical portion (19, 25); characterized in that said electriccircuit portion (17, 22) is connectable to the refrigerator (1) outsidesaid refrigerating chamber (2), and said mechanical portion (19, 25) isat least partly insertable inside said refrigerating chamber (2) andcooperates with said electric circuit portion (17, 22). 2) A device asclaimed in claim 1, characterized in that said electric circuit portion(22) comprises a light source, and said mechanical portion (25)comprises a light guide. 3) A device as claimed in claim 2,characterized by comprising a switch (23) connected to said light source(22) and activated by a door (8) of said refrigerator (1) to turn saidlight source (22) alternately on and off. 4) A device as claimed inclaim 1, characterized by comprising a thermostat (5), and in that saidelectric circuit portion (17) comprises an electric control circuit ofsaid thermostat (5), and said mechanical portion (19) comprises aflexible control cable. 5) A device as claimed in claim 4, characterizedin that said mechanical portion comprises a manual regulating device(18) connected to said flexible control cable (19). 6) A refrigeratorcomprising: a refrigerating chamber (2) housed inside a body (7); acooling circuit (3) for cooling said refrigerating chamber (2); athermostat (5) connected to said cooling circuit (3) to regulate atemperature inside said refrigerating chamber (2), and having anelectronic control circuit (17); and lighting means (6) having a lightsource (22) for lighting the inside of said refrigerating chamber (2);characterized in that at least one of said electronic control circuit(17) and said light source (22) is housed outside said refrigeratingchamber (2). 7) A refrigerator as claimed in claim 6, characterized inthat said lighting means (6) comprise a light guide (25) connected tosaid light source (22) to convey into said refrigerating chamber (2) alight beam emitted by said light source (22). 8) A refrigerator asclaimed in claim 7, characterized in that said light guide (25)comprises an optical-fiber cable having a first end (25 a) connected tosaid light source (22), and a second end (25 b) facing inwards of saidrefrigerating chamber (2). 9) A refrigerator as claimed in claim 6,characterized by comprising a switch (23) connected to said light source(22) and fitted to the front of said body (7), outside saidrefrigerating chamber (2); and by comprising a door (8) for closing saidrefrigerating chamber (2) and which cooperates with said switch (23) toturn said light source (22) alternately on and off. 10) A refrigeratoras claimed in claim 9, characterized in that said switch (23) has afirst operating configuration in which said light source (22) is turnedoff when said door (8) is closed, and a second operating configurationin which said light source (22) is turned on when said door (8) isopened. 11) A refrigerator as claimed in claim 10, characterized in thatsaid switch (23) is normally closed, and has a control button (30); saidcontrol button (30) being withdrawn when said door (8) is closed, andbeing released when said door (8) is opened. 12) A refrigerator asclaimed in claim 6, characterized in that said thermostat (5) comprisesan electromechanical temperature selector (20); and a manual regulatingdevice (18) housed inside said refrigerating chamber (2) and connectedto said electromechanical temperature selector (20) by a flexiblecontrol cable (19). 13) A refrigerator as claimed in claim 12,characterized in that said flexible control cable (19) is a Bowdencable. 14) A refrigerator as claimed in claim 7, characterized in thatsaid light guide (25) and said flexible control cable (19) are housed atleast partly in a gap (10) defined between said body (7) and saidrefrigerating chamber (2).